Billy V
Reporter
Hawaii News Now
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11 years as Entertainment Reporter for Hawaii News Now; 35-year veteran of broadcast. Spent 30 years in Hawaii Radio & Hawaii Recording Industry plus host of television events such as Miss Hawaii, Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, Merrie Monarch Festival, and emcee for UH Athletics, NFL Pro Bowl, Hawaii Bowl and more. Actor on shows like Baywatch Hawaii & Hawaii Five-0
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Updated: Jan. 24, 2023 at 8:54 AM HST
|By Billy V
Sunshine today along with light to moderate background east to southeast winds as the high pressure ridge north of the islands remains weak. Changes Ahead: A cold front moves into the western islands tomorrow, drifting slowly eastward on Thursday, then spreading enhanced showers into Maui and the Big Island from Friday into the weekend. Today.Waves Continue but on the way down: A diminishing northwest swell continues to bring Advisory level surf heights
Updated: Jan. 24, 2023 at 5:13 AM HST
|By Billy V
Expect light to moderate background east to southeast winds as the high pressure ridge north of the islands remains weak.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 10:13 AM HST
|By Billy V
Surf of 40 to 50 feet will be possible for north shores, while west shores could see surf as high as 25 to 35 feet.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2023 at 4:45 AM HST
|By Billy V
Cooler than normal temps for early mornings; Light winds and dry conditions thru Tuesday. Wednesday will see a weakening cold front bringing moderate Northeast trade winds and a brief increase of clouds and showers mainly over windward and Mauka showersThe front will likely reach Kauai and Oahu early Wednesday morning, then Maui County and the island of Hawaii Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Another cold front approaching will produce another round of stable light winds and dry conditions from Thursday into next weekend.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2023 at 4:45 AM HST
|By Billy V
Cooler than normal temps for early mornings; Light winds and dry conditions thru Tuesday.
Updated: Jan. 5, 2023 at 8:26 AM HST
|By Billy V
The weak front bringing us clouds and some showers, stalled near Hawaii Island and will continue to dissipate today. Expect associated showers across mainly windward areas, with a few showers making it to leeward areas as well from time to time. Trade winds will decrease into the light to moderate category today. Drier and more stable conditions are spreading across the state, with minimal shower activity expected tomorrow through early next week.
Updated: Jan. 3, 2023 at 10:15 AM HST
|By Billy V
The Hawaiian Islands will enjoy mostly clear skies and dry conditions to the islands today. The tail end of a weak front will approach the islands tonight and dissipate near the Big Island Thursday, with trade winds filling in behind it. Stable conditions aloft will limit overall rainfall, with showers focused over windward slopes.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 4:46 AM HST
|By Billy V
Forecasts show a threat of severe storms could produce strong winds and hail.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 3:14 AM HST
|By Billy V
Numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected today, including a threat of severe storms that could produce strong winds and hail. Potentially damaging southwest or kona winds will also develop today, with sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with potential gusts near 60 miles per hour for some areas. In surf, the low pressure area associated with the cold front will generate an extra-large northwest swell, with a high surf warning posted for the north and west shores of most islands through tomorrow afternoon. South shores will see a slight boost with choppy waves generated by the winds, while east shores will remain small. High Wind Warning, Flood Watch, Winter Storm Warning, High Surf Warning, Gale Warnings are in effect
Updated: Dec. 6, 2022 at 12:06 PM HST
|By Billy V
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Updated: Dec. 1, 2022 at 4:43 AM HST
|By Billy V
Mostly drier trend through the weekend with light to moderate trade winds. Some brief windward showers, but probably not enough to make it over to the leeward side.We know that vog from Kilauea Volcano/Hawaii Island can make some people uncomfortable; Kilauea being just above 4,000 ft above sea level. The eruption of Mauna Loa is about the 13,000 ft level, which means most of the particulate will not affect lower elevation populated areas of any of the islands. National Weather Service, HVO and USGS continue to monitor this dynamic situation.A large, long period west northwest swell will build in today, peak tonight and Friday morning and then gradually fall Friday night into the weekend. This swell is expected to be large enough to increase north and west-facing shore surf, due to the more westerly swell direction, to High Surf Advisory (HSA) levels on the main islands (except Big Island) today.
Updated: Nov. 25, 2022 at 12:36 PM HST
|By Billy V
Today locally windy conditions will diminish dropping below advisory levels later this afternoon, then remaining breezy through this evening. The winds will further weaken Saturday, which should allow for some local afternoon sea breeze and night time land breeze circulations into Sunday. Temperatures will remain on the cooler side again today, along with slightly drier humidity, as the airmass today remains similar to Thursday. High Surf Warning for the North facing shores of most Hawaiian Islands. A large swell NNE swell will move into Hawaiian waters with warning level surf lasting through Saturday. High Surf Warnings (HSW) for north facing shores will likely be dropped into the High Surf Advisory range by Saturday night. High Surf Advisory conditions are likely for north facing shores from Saturday night through Sunday. Lighter winds on Sunday will produce cleaner sets. Another small swell from the Northwest direction also arrives Sunday, peaking Tuesday.
Updated: Nov. 23, 2022 at 12:02 PM HST
|By Billy V
An aggressive and fairly vigorous cold front approaches the state from west to east. We haven't seen a front of this caliber in quite some time. The timing of the front: Kauai and O’ahu tonight, Maui County early tomorrow morning and Hawaii Island will be sometime midday on Thanksgiving.
Updated: Nov. 23, 2022 at 5:10 AM HST
|By Billy V
An aggressive and fairly vigorous cold front approaches the state from west to east. We haven't seen a front of this caliber in quite some time. The timing of the front: Kauai and O’ahu tonight, Maui County early tomorrow morning and Hawaii Island will be sometime midday on Thanksgiving.
Updated: Nov. 22, 2022 at 9:52 AM HST
|By Billy V
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Updated: Nov. 18, 2022 at 6:49 AM HST
|By Billy V
Unstable weather that was just north of Maui and O'ahu last night has begun to taper off. The trade winds will return along with more stable weather conditions. Models show that as the upper trough exits the area to the east, stronger trade winds will return this afternoon with a drier than average trade shower pattern Monday and Tuesday. Models hint at a front approaching Hawaii from the northwest beginning Wednesday night. As we head into Thanksgiving Day, a band of showers and large area of strong northeast winds behind the front could move into the island chain. This is far out in the broadcast week, so how much wind and moisture could vary, but the forecast could show 15-30 mph winds with locally higher gusts.
Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 at 5:18 AM HST
|By Billy V
Lots of sunshine with locally breezy trades focusing showers over windward zones.
Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 at 4:22 AM HST
|By Billy V
Lots of sunshine with locally breezy trades focusing showers over windward zones. The greatest coverage of showers through mid- week will be over Windward Maui and Big Island. An approaching trough will then bring potential for an increase in showers during the latter half of the week. Thursday into the weekend will feature a reduction in stability that will, at the least, contribute to a tendency for heavier trade wind showers. As we get closer to the weekend, we'll better be able to forecast for the potential for thunder over the Big Island on Thursday and/or Friday as the trough moves into the area.
Updated: Oct. 21, 2022 at 9:24 AM HST
|By Billy V
Transition weather day for parts of the states as a showery cloud band will move across Kauai tonight through Friday. Trade winds will push over the eastern end of the state late Friday afternoon and will bring a band of moisture along with it. This moisture will spread westward as the trades fill in across the rest of the state Friday night. A typical trade wind weather pattern is expected for the weekend and into next week, which means lots of sunshine with windward and mauka showers drifting leeward at times.The current north swell held near the 15-foot advisory threshold this morning, but will gradually lower through tonight. No other significant northwest or north swells are likely through the middle of next week.
Updated: Oct. 21, 2022 at 5:43 AM HST
|By Billy V
Transition weather day for parts of the states as a showery cloud band will move across Kauai through Friday.
Updated: Oct. 20, 2022 at 10:08 AM HST
|By Billy V
A stalled front near Molokai will weaken and become a surface trough later this morning. Moderate northeast winds persist west of the front, while light and variable winds are over the eastern islands. Once it develops, the surface trough will move back toward the western end of the island chain from later today through Friday. This will likely keep a wet weather pattern across portions of the state, especially on Oahu and Kauai, during the next couple of days. The High Surf Advisory has been extended for north facing shores of Kauai, Oahu and Maui County through tonight and may need to be extended for some zones later this afternoon.
Updated: Oct. 20, 2022 at 6:09 AM HST
|By Billy V
A stalled front near Molokai will weaken and become a surface trough later Thursday morning.
Updated: Oct. 19, 2022 at 5:26 AM HST
|By Billy V
A cold front is expected to move through Kauai on Wednesday morning, Oahu this afternoon, then stall out over Maui.
Updated: Oct. 19, 2022 at 5:12 AM HST
|By Billy V
A cold front is expected to move through Kauai this morning, Oahu this afternoon, then stall out over Maui tonight. A period of strong north winds and an increase in showers is expected following the frontal passage. This front is expected to weaken into a trough over Maui Thursday morning, then slowly shift westward Thursday afternoon through Friday, with showers favoring the western end of the state. Moderate to locally breezy trade winds and more typical windward and mauka focused showers will return over the weekend and hold in place through early next week. A larger, but shorter-period, north swell is expected to arrive today and may bring advisory level surf to north facing shores tonight and tomorrow. It will also likely bring SCA-level seas to exposed waters requiring the expansion and extension of the advisory. The swell will lower Thursday night through Saturday. Small background south swells are expected, with a series of slightly larger, longer-period south swells expected today through Saturday.
Updated: Oct. 18, 2022 at 4:38 AM HST
|By Billy V
Light winds and mostly dry weather will continue Tuesday, with afternoon sea breezes bringing some clouds and a few showers to interior and upslope areas.
Updated: Oct. 18, 2022 at 4:25 AM HST
|By Billy V
Light winds and mostly dry weather will continue today, with afternoon sea breezes bringing some clouds and a few showers to interior and upslope areas.
Updated: Oct. 17, 2022 at 4:29 AM HST
|By Billy V
Fair weather conditions with trade winds weakening Monday and Tuesday.
Updated: Oct. 17, 2022 at 2:07 AM HST
|By Billy V
Fair weather conditions with trade winds weakening today/tomorrow allowing for sea breezes to develop during the day and land breezes at night. Wednesday, a front pushes through the western half of the state and stalls over the eastern half of the state. Increasing clouds and showers with pockets of heavy rainfall will be possible during the second half of the week. A new, moderate-sized northwest swell (320-340 degrees) peaked earlier this morning and waves will be diminishing through Tuesday.
Updated: Oct. 14, 2022 at 7:01 AM HST
|By Billy V
First alert forecast: Another front will approach middle of next week and big north shore surf. Today: Increasing and locally breezy northeasterly trade winds later today into Saturday, with winds turning toward the east and gradually weakening again on Sunday. A mostly dry and stable weather pattern is expected to develop over the weekend. Winds will trend weaker Monday and Tuesday as another front approaches, with mostly dry weather persisting.SURF is also large on the north shore as a near advisory level swell continues to rise today before gradually lowering thru the weekend. Another north- northwest swell is forecast to arrive early next week, potentially producing another round of near advisory level surf for north facing shores. A small, long-period south swell will continue to slowly fill in, and will boost surf along south-facing shores to near the summertime average through Saturday, before returning to mainly background levels Sunday through early next week.
Updated: Oct. 14, 2022 at 4:41 AM HST
|By Billy V
Increasing and locally breezy northeasterly trade winds later today into Saturday.
Updated: Oct. 5, 2022 at 7:41 AM HST
|By Billy V
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Updated: Sep. 29, 2022 at 7:10 AM HST
|By Billy V
“With uncle, he had the mono, the mana in his voice because that voice came from the generations above him that fed him."
Updated: Sep. 16, 2022 at 6:57 AM HST
|By Billy V
Light trade winds will continue through Saturday; Local scale land and sea breezes are forecast during this light wind period with clouds developing over mountain and island interior sections each afternoon. Showers will develop from afternoon to evening over the islands in sea breezes with overnight clearing as more stable down slope land breezes form. On Sunday we transition back to a moderate trade wind pattern as the ridge strengthens north of the state.
Updated: Sep. 15, 2022 at 3:37 PM HST
|By Billy V
Shelly Preza is truly a product of her environment.
Updated: Sep. 12, 2022 at 4:39 AM HST
|By Billy V
Possible unstable weather could mean rain and thunderstorms starting Thursday.
Updated: Sep. 12, 2022 at 3:22 AM HST
|By Billy V
We have gentle to moderate trade winds this week, delivering a few showers to windward areas. Winds will be light enough to allow afternoon sea breezes over leeward areas, but leeward shower coverage should diminish the next couple of days. Showers, both leeward and windward, may increase in coverage and intensity after Wednesday as moisture increases and the atmosphere becomes unstable.A small, long period south southwest swell will continue to build in through Monday. This swell, in tandem with the arrival of a low, medium period southeast swell, has prompted a High Surf Advisory (HSA) for surf in the 7 to 10 foot range along many south-facing shores. The HSA will be in effect from 6 AM HST Monday through 6 AM HST Tuesday. A small, medium period easterly swell from former Tropical Cyclone Kay will also move around the chain through Tuesday. The combination of three swells will keep surf elevated along many southeast and east-facing shorelines into the middle of the week.
Updated: Aug. 29, 2022 at 9:38 AM HST
|By Billy V
The trades will weaken today, allowing localized land and sea breezes to become common in the more sheltered leeward areas through mid week. Clouds and showers will focus over windward areas during the night and early morning hours, then transition over to the island interiors and leeward areas each afternoon with drier more stable conditions overspreading the entire state Tuesday night and Wednesday. Small Swells from the southern hemisphere will remain small into the first week of September likely enough to keep the surf from going flat this week. Similar surf is expected along north facing shores for the week as the northern Pacific remains quiet. A compact low pressure system could generate a small north-northeast pulse for next weekend, but that is about it as we head into September. Surf along east facing shores will ease through the first half of the week as the trades lower, then slightly pickup by the weekend as the trades return.
Updated: Aug. 29, 2022 at 6:26 AM HST
|By Billy V
Clouds and showers will focus over windward areas during the night and early morning hours.
Updated: Aug. 25, 2022 at 8:47 AM HST
|By Billy V
Light winds will continue today, with mostly sunny skies this morning giving way to some afternoon clouds and a few interior and leeward showers. Trade winds will gradually increase tonight through Friday, becoming locally breezy by Saturday. A trend toward lighter trade winds is expected late Sunday into next week. An area of increased moisture arriving tomorrow will fuel an increase in windward showers, but should clear the islands in time for the weekend, which should feature limited windward showers.
Updated: Aug. 25, 2022 at 7:26 AM HST
|By Billy V
Trade winds will gradually increase tonight through Friday.
Updated: Aug. 23, 2022 at 5:54 AM HST
|By Billy V
More typical drier summer weather will start from Thursday onward.
Updated: Aug. 23, 2022 at 5:19 AM HST
|By Billy V
Lighter trade winds are forecast through Thursday. Local radar imagery shows numerous showers spreading westward across the state with scattered to numerous shower activity favoring the overnight to early morning hours. More typical drier summer weather will start from Thursday onward.The current long period south swell will continue to lower gradually through Wednesday. A much smaller south swell is expected during the Thursday through Sunday time period. A small mid period northwest swell is expected to peak through Tuesday, then lower gradually Wednesday through Friday.
Updated: Aug. 22, 2022 at 9:16 AM HST
|By Billy V
One more day of sunshine and stable moderate trade winds. Those winds will begin a gradual decline today as an area of moisture brings an increase in rainfall to mainly windward portions of the Big Island and Maui. Expect the initial increase in rainfall to affect windward Big Island and Maui today, while modest rainfall persists over windward Oahu and Kauai. Humidity will rise and windward portions of all islands will experience an uptick in rainfall. Daytime sea breezes will lead to afternoon clouds and scattered leeward and interior showers. Trade winds will rebuild late Thursday and Friday and may become breezy next weekend.
Updated: Jul. 13, 2022 at 8:56 AM HST
|By Billy V
Moisture from former Tropical Cyclone Bonnie got caught up in the trade wind flow overnight bringing showers.
Updated: Jul. 13, 2022 at 8:43 AM HST
|By Billy V
Moisture from former Tropical Cyclone Bonnie got caught up in the trade wind flow overnight bringing showers to the windward side and drifting leeward thru the early morning hours with shower coverage increasing thru the day.Global models continue to indicate increased shower activity this weekend with Hawaii Island beginning to see the moisture by Saturday morning; Hawaii Island could see a couple of inches of rain with possibility of thunderstorm activity. There is also a chance of showers over Kauai and Oʻahu this weekend, although we will wait till we get a little closer and see if the models all agree. Gusty northerly winds behind Darby as it passes Saturday into Sunday. Darby will pass to the south of the islands, but it will leave some deep tropical moisture into the trade wind flow.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2022 at 6:02 AM HST
|By Billy V
Beautiful weather expected Tuesday; trade winds blowing, sun shining and a few windward and mauka showers.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2022 at 5:21 AM HST
|By Billy V
Beautiful weather today; trade winds blowing, sun shining and a few windward and mauka showers; probably the nicest day of the week. Tomorrow is a transition weather day. An increase in seas and shower coverage, is expected late Tuesday into Wednesday as the remnants of tropical cyclone Bonnie move from E to W across the Hawaiian Islands. Another surge in trade winds, sea heights and gusty showers are possible this weekend as weakening tropical cyclone Darby approaches from the East.
Updated: Jul. 11, 2022 at 5:29 AM HST
|By Billy V
Breezy to locally strong trades will focus cloud and showers over windward and mauka areas through Tuesday.
Updated: Jul. 11, 2022 at 4:39 AM HST
|By Billy V
Breezy to locally strong trades will focus cloud and showers over windward and mauka areas through Tuesday. The arrival of remnant moisture from a decaying tropical low will favor an increase in showers late Tuesday night through early Thursday morning with another batch of remnant moisture coming thru the state Friday into the weekend.Overlapping southerly pulses move through will keep the south shore surfers happy. The next pulse should begin to fill in through the day Tuesday, then peak through midweek. The largest surf is expected this weekend, with heights likely topping out above the advisory level. North and West shores remain relatively small while the East shore will see a boost due to the stronger trade winds; which will make conditions sloppy on those shorelines.
Updated: Jul. 9, 2022 at 5:04 PM HST
|By Billy V
Strong and breezy trade winds will continue thru Tuesday bringing stable windward and mauka showers to the windward and mauka sections of the islands. Remnant moisture from a decaying tropical system "Bonnie" will favor a increase in shower coverage Wednesday and Thursday. Storm Colin is behind Bonnie but it is still some 7 days away and we are tracking both storms closely. Several pulses of long-period S swell are expected over the next week, supporting surf heights near to above the seasonal average along S facing shores. The swell will be on the smaller side the next day or two, but a stronger swell will bring bigger surf Tuesday and Wednesday. Surf may get even larger by next weekend, as an even more potent swell is expected, potentially requiring a High Surf Advisory